1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention relates generally to wireless communication systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system that permits electronic devices, including mobile and stationary devices, to communicate wirelessly with telecommunication network carriers worldwide.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Almost every country has at least one Global System for Mobile (GSM) service provider. Each GSM service provider provides various packages for wireless communications, including packages for phone calls, short messaging services (SMS) and data services useful for email, internet browsing, global positioning satellite (GPS) systems, and the like.
Many people own wireless devices that send and receive data and place and receive phone calls within their home network. These people typically sign up for a package that includes phone, data, SMS and the like, and often pay a flat fee for such service. However, when these people leave their home service area, typically by traveling to a foreign country, they are no longer covered by such pre-purchased packages and are considered “roaming”, where the fees for phone, data and SMS may be substantially greater than that they are used to paying in their home territory.
Most travelers make special arrangements to obtain roaming services to enable the usage of their wireless devices while they are out of their home territory. This service links their number to the global network so that the number can be used in various countries. Various technologies are available and have been proposed to properly route a “roaming” mobile device to a wireless service provider.
One such solution are so-called global phones. These devices often include one or more pre-programmed international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) and the user pre-pays for data and SMS data based on their destination country. In many of these systems, telephone calls are made via a call-back service, where a user dials out a number and then receives a call back that then connects the user to that number. This feature is helpful due to the fact that it is often less expensive to receive a call while roaming than to place a call. These devices often require a dedicated phone and a specially programmed subscriber identity module (SIM) card. If the user is expecting calls from or wishing to monitor their home service phone number, they must then carry two separate devices with them.
To address this concern of high roaming costs, some service providers have set up special service agreements with service providers in certain countries. Under these service agreements, a user from, for example, the United States, may be able to purchase a data, phone and/or SMS plan for a given period of time while visiting a foreign country, such as Mexico. Typically, the user pays a flat fee for a set amount of use within a set period of time.
Another solution for travelers outside of their home service area to avoid roaming charges is to purchase a SIM card from a local merchant. Such a SIM card, often used on a pre-paid basis, replaces the home SIM card in the user's device and allows the user to connect to a local service provider, changing their device into a local device which is no longer paying roaming fees.
One problem with this solution is that it requires a user to have a SIM card for each country they are visiting. Typically, these cards are purchased in the particular country, which requires the user to find a sales outlet for the local SIM card to make such a purchase. In some embodiments, these SIM cards may be usable in multiple countries, however, the number of countries is typically quite limited. Additionally, the user is required to swap out SIM cards and safely keep their home service SIM card for replacement. Because a SIM card is often small in size, care must be taken not to lose this home service SIM card. Another problem is that, when their home service SIM is removed from their device, the user is unable to receive phone calls or messages from others that are trying to reach the user at their home service phone number.
To address one of these problems, some hardware manufacturers have developed wireless devices that include the capability to contain two separate SIM cards. Therefore, a user can always keep their home service SIM placed in their phone and swap out foreign SIM cards as necessary while traveling. While this is a step in the right direction, the user still has to manage and track multiple SIM cards, especially when traveling to various countries during the same trip. Several attempts have been made to optimize the performance of such dual-SIM phones, including switching algorithms, ways to determine which SIM to use while roaming from both the home SIM and the foreign SIM (where the user did not purchase a separate, local SIM in a different country), and the like.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.